OPINION
I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want… Michele Young, director of Foodservice Support Ltd (www.foodservicesupport.co.uk), considers aspects of the all-important product pitch and development process in the food to go arena. LISTEN I’ll make my apologies now for anyone who ends up with that Spice Girls song in their heads after reading this! However, listening to your customers and their needs is certainly the biggest strength any supplier partner can demonstrate in a business relationship. Having been on the receiving end of many of those supplier pitches, however, I’d say that when a new product, equipment item, or service is first being presented, there’s very rarely a quick win in the initial introductory meeting, simply because the buyer or customer needs to have more information to assess the business case. Business owners and operators are of course always looking for that latest outstanding innovation that will drive sales upwards, or the new support solution that will result in a more efficient operation, but this is often overlooked when the sales pitch is in full swing. So it is really important to demonstrate that you understand the business you are talking to and ensure that there is a compelling reason for the business to sign up for a new product, piece of equipment or service. THE FOUR KEY PILLARS TO ADDRESS Relevance – is it relevant for the business you are pitching to? What gap will it fulfil? How does it complement today’s marketplace trends over and above what the business is currently doing? Ease – is it easy to execute or use? Will it add any operational complexity? Does it need new equipment, and would the business appear to have space for your new equipment if required and the extra capacity to use it? Different – how is it distinctive and how will it differentiate from the operator’s current competition and help to standout in a busy marketplace? And can you assure any exclusivity to the operator? Profitable – will it deliver incremental sales and profit for the business concerned? What’s the projected return on investment? CONVENIENCE CULTURE In the UK, which is the leading market in Europe for the ‘grab & go’ culture (thanks to our famed lunchtime reliance on sandwiches), eating patterns have been changing over time with increased snacking prevalent throughout the day and traditional meal occasions fragmented into more frequent and smaller snacking occasions. Flashback 10 years or so and the selection of food to go products was predominately dominated by confectionary, sweets, treats and snacks such as crisps, cheese or meat snacks – all the
60 September 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk
products not necessarily associated with a healthy diet. Today, we observe new propositions within the food to go category thanks to key players like Leon, Pret, Crussh and Pure (to name a few), who taught us that fast does not need to mean unhealthy, and that fast and fresh can run in parallel. We’re also seeing the divide between foodservice and retail convenience stores blur as chains like M&S, Waitrose and Morrisons all fight for market share in the food to go sector. Relevance “Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers” – Seth Godin. Firstly it’s important to understand the target audience of the operating business as well as what trends could be affecting the operator’s daily trade pattern. What has happened to the pre-covid target consumer – are they displaced? Working from home or back at the office? Price positioning will also be key in understanding how your potential customer pitches their business within the food to go sector to determine if the price proposition you recommend is achievable? Health and wellness is an obvious trend right now with consumers being more conscious of what they eat. This means that many players are looking to offer healthier or vegan or plant-based options within their product range, although the requirement will vary dependent on the specific audience the operator caters for. With increased interest in ingredients and nutrition it is important that food to go future developments meet this customer need and is in line with government guidelines relating to salt, sugars, fats, etc. but even more so that they can be marketed as beneficial to health and wellness. Post pandemic concerns around safety and hygiene are more prevalent so individually wrapped, single serve products are likely to see a surge in the grab & go sector. However, sustainability has a place on everyone’s agenda, minimising food and packaging waste is also a key priority. Now more than ever, people are looking for long-term sustainable solutions – whether ingredients or packaging, so operators are looking to tick the credentials box when it comes to the ingredients or materials being used. Did the business partner you’re addressing pivot during the lockdowns? Would your proposed product solution work for take-out or food delivery? There are certainly advantages right now if what you are offering provides an additional sales channel opportunity.
